Nightingale Hospital North East to remain on 'standby' for coming months

Health chiefs have always referred to the 460-bed hospital, which opened on May 5 near Nissan’s Washington plant, as an ‘insurance policy’ saying the best case scenario is that it never sees a patient admitted.

More than a month has gone by since the hospital was officially opened by the Queen’s daughter-in-law, Her Royal Highness the Countess of Wessex, and a team of celebrities including Ant and Dec.

Nightingale Hospital North East has not yet treated a patient as the region’s existing hospitals continue to cope with the demands caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

But health bosses have now confirmed the Nightingale Hospital North East will remain on standby for the ‘coming months’.

A spokesperson for Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said: “Nightingale Hospital North East remains on standby should the NHS require additional beds in the coming months.

“As things stand, our region’s existing hospitals are continuing to cope with demands posed by COVID-19.

“If that situation changes, we have the building, equipment and staff required to respond accordingly.”

According to figures published by Public Health England, more people have tested positive for Covid-19 in the North East than any other region, when the population size is taken into account.

So far 10,390 people in the region have tested positive for the virus – which means 390.9 people have tested positive for every 100,000 people living in the North East.

Sunderland still has the highest infection rate for any upper tier local authority in England, closely followed by South Tyneside which has the third highest.

So far, 1,385 people have tested positive in Sunderland – that’s 499.2 people for every 100,000 people living in the local authority.

In South Tyneside, there are 747 confirmed Covid-19 cases – which equates to 497.1 people for every 100,000 living in the area.

The 20-ward hospital gives the North East the capacity to care for another 460 coronavirus patients if hospitals are filled if the number of cases begins to rise again.

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